Crystal Clear: The Power Of Transparent Interiors

Everyone values their privacy, but an open and visible approach to interior design also has its advantages. For instance, the use of glass dividers, doors and even walls can free up our sense of space, adding wider views and lending depth and distance to any home.

The optical effects of clear glass, sunlit reflections, overhead lighting, or being able to gaze straight through a room to the other side also offers up some distinct (and daring) aesthetic possibilities. And while not everyone prefers transparency, some value its power to liberate perspectives and bring some drama into our homes.

Like in E.M. Forster's classic novel “A Room With A View,” having a glimpse of the world outside is crucial to life...and interior design.

Our first example offers both: a view of the world outside, and a view of the home's interior. Wide, floor-to-ceiling glass panels with elegant black frames allow us to see the bedroom within, but also straight through to the backyard where we can catch sight of trees and grass.

Unlike the first example where each glass panel was enclosed by dark frames, these sliding doors have no such borders. As a result, they seem nearly invisible (if not for the overhead lights which cast a glow on their surface), and the optical effect is one of subtlety and understatement.

The use of white-framed glass panels lends this interior a gentler edge, harmonizing with the soft, muted palette of its surroundings which are also rich in grays and whites.

Such abundance of glass and transparent materials enables a generous amount of sunlight to pour through, so while this apartment is minimalist in style, it maximizes natural illumination and our field of vision.

Simple, elegant, and incredibly beautiful, this bedroom located on the second floor offers an unrivaled panoramic view of the rooms below, its broad and towering glass enclosure unhindered by frames or paneling.

One of the great advantages of transparent interiors is they're not restrained only to bedrooms and living rooms, but can be employed throughout a home.

Here, the use of chocolate brown walls and a lighter shade of glass paneling creates a brilliant optical display, tricking us into believing that the translucent glass is actually a ghostly reflection of the wall (when it is in fact not).

There's nothing quite like a personal sanctuary, a place to escape and read quietly or forget about life's worries.

This slightly elevated narrow space looks more like a hallway than room, but it offers peace and relaxation. The use of simple glass doors affords a glimpse of the interior, while windows in the back permit the entry of natural light.

It's not everyday we find a shower so brazenly exposed. Typically you have to pass through a wooden door, but this example contains no visual barrier between the bedroom and washing facility.

What we have is an absence of demarcated space through the use of transparent materials for both the shower and sliding glass door. The result is a daring bedroom-bath combo, a place for intimacy rather than modesty—as revealed by the presence of two sets of slippers.